Spiral roulette



E. SCHOENHEIT.

SPIRAL ROULETTE- APPLICATION FILED OCT- 1919.

1 33 4;, 1 74; Patented Mar. 16, 1920,

. Fig.5. 10 a W t; i /4 J 47 E Jc/z era/tail WITNESS: 4 0 INVENTOR. 1 7. yfi/wu BY ATTORNEY.

UNlTED srarns rarnnr onricn'.

ERNEST SCHOENHEIT, OF AVALON, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPIRAL ROULETTE.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that I, ERNEST Sorronnrrnrr, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Avalon, in the county oi Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spiral Roulettes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to games, and more particularly to a game which I have termed a spiral roulette.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a device of the character stated of simple construction and operation which may be readily produced and sold at small cost. A further object is to provide a device including a bowl having depressions assigned definite values, and means for discharging a plurality of spheres or balls into this bowl so as to roll about the same. A still further object is to provide simple and efiicient means for supporting and discharging the balls, this means being adapted to act by centrifugal force and impact to cause the balls to be discharged into the bowl and roll about the same in substantially spiral paths. Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan vicwot a game apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. V

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the standard and asso- Y ciated parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. 1

Fig. i is a section through the spider on line H of Fig. 1.

Fig. is a section through the spider taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 1.

The numeral 1 designates a bowl which is formed of wood or other suitable material to provide a centrally raised element 2 and an annular a-rcuate depression or groove 3. This bowl is provided in its inner face with two concentric series of recesses or depressions, those of the outer seriesbeing numbered from 1 to 6 inclusive and those of the inner series being assigned a value of ten each, as in Fig. 1. A standard 4 of channel construction extends vertically from the periphery of this bowl, this standard being expanded at its lower end portion to provide inwardly directed flanges l fitting into cooperating slots in the bowl, a plate 5 being Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 16, 1920, Application filed October 6, 1919. Serial No. 328,899. I K

secured to the outer face of the bowl for holding the standard against outward movement. At its upper end the standard is provided with a. horizontall Y disposed supporting arm 6 ecured thereto having at its inner end a horizontal rectangularly disposed ear 7 prov1ded with an aperture for receiving a pin or stud 8 provided at the upper end of a spiral post 9 formed by bending a piece of wire of suitable length and gage so as to provide two closely adjacent parallel strands and then twisting the strands to provide the spiral shape disclosed. At the lower end portion of this spiral, the strands are not twisted but are disposed vertically to provide an element 10 which projects into a central recess 11 formed in the upper face of element 2 thus steadying the post so as'to prevent looseness or swinging thereof. A

cylinder 12 of rubber or other suitable material is secured on post 9 adjacent the upper end thereof and is engaged by the inner end portion of a relatively hea-vy 'leaf spring 13 which-is secured to arm 6 so as to press against the cylinder so as to offer frictional resistance to rotation thereof. The spring and cylinder cooperate to normally prevent turning of post 9. v

A three armed spider 14 is mounted about the post 9 and is provided withan upwardly extending hub 15 having a central substantial elliptical opening 16 which is-adapted to fit about thc post 9. By raising the hub '15 about the post, the post will be caused to turn due to engagement of the walls of the opening 16 with the convolutions of the post this turning of the post being permitted by spring 13 and brake cylinder 12, as will be understood. When the hub 15 is released it is free to rotate and will descend until the arms of the spider strike the upper face of element 2 the convolutions of the spiral post causing rotation of the spider at relatively high speed during its descent. Each arm of the spider is provided at its outer end with an integral ring 17 which is slightly dished to receive a ball and support the same, the ball projecting an appreciable distance below the'ring. As will be noted more clearly from Fig. 1, the radius of the centrally raised element 2 of the bowl is less than the distance from the center of the bowl to the center of the ring 17 so that, as the spider descends into its lowermost position, the balls supported by the rings will strike the peripheral edge of the element 2 so as to i so as to be positioned higher than the for-' 2 V I V 1 34,174

cause'the balls to move upwardly and out wardly away from this element. Also, as will be noted more clearly from Figs. 4 and 5, the'rear portion 17 or the ring, as considered from the direction of rotation of the spider when descending, is turned or twisted ward portion 17 The result of this is that, asthe spider approaches its lowermost position, the balls are caused to be knocked upwardly and outwardly from the rings 17 and are then, while in the air, struck by the.

higher or rearward portions'of the rings. This combined action of the centrifugal force due to whirling of the spider as it descends the post, and the balls being knocked upwardly and outwardly and then struck by the higher portions of the rings, results in l causing these ballsto travel about the bowl in substantially spiral paths until they fall into some of the depressions of the bowl, or stop moving. As will be readily understood, the game may consist of a number of points, each player playing in turn by placing the balls in the spider and then raising the spider and releasing it and being credited with points corresponding with the depressions or recesses in which the balls may settle. 7 Of course, numerous variations may be made in playing the game, as will be'readily understood.

What I claim is V 1. In a game apparatus, a bowl, a rotatable spiral post, aspider traveling 011 said post and adapted to support game pieces and 'to discharge the same into the bowl'when traveling in one direction upon the post, and means for holding the post against rotation during travel of the spider in said direction so as to cause rotation of said spider.

2; In-a game apparatus, a. rotatable spiral post, a spider slidable on said post and adapted to support game pieces, and means for holding the post against rotation during descent of the spider so as to cause rotation of said spider.

against rotation, and a spider slidable on the post and adapted to support game pieces,

said spider being disposed to discharge the game pieces into said bowl.

4. In a game apparatus, a rotatably mounted spirally twisted post, friction means for normally holding said post against rotation, and a spider slidable on th post.

In a game apparatus, a bowl having a raised central portion, a spider adapted to support game pieces so as to project below the same with the centers of said pieces positioned beyond the periphery of said raised portion and means for supporting the spider for vertical movement and for causing rotation. thereof when permitted to descend freely upon said spider supporting means.

6. In a game apparatus, a bowl provided with a centrally raised portion, a. spiral post, and a spider slidable upon said post so as to be rotated thereby when descending the post, said spider beingprovided with a plurality of rings for reception of spherical game pieces, the centers of said rings being positioned, beyond the periphery of said centrally raised portion of the bowl.

7. In a game apparatus, a bowl provided 

